Dideoxynucleotide
ddNTP terminators

    Dideoxy nucleoside triphosphates (ddNTPs) lack an -OH on the 3'-C as well as the 2'-C of the deoxyribose sugar. Although the 5'-C can form a phosphodiester bond with the previous nucleotide in the chain, the 3'-C cannot form a bond with next incoming dNTP.  Addition of a ddNTP during DNA replication therefore stops synthesis.


Figure & text ©2019 by Steven M. Carr